Tiger will prowl Augusta for fifth green jacket

“I just hope the excitement comes back on the back nine. It’s not what it used to be,” Woods said last month during his comeback from left knee surgery.

“I miss guys being able to go out there and shoot 31 on that back nine and win a championship.”

With narrowed fairways,stretched yardage and lightning-fast,undulating greens,Augusta National has been hard on players since 2004,when Phil Mickelson birdied five of the last seven holes for his first major title.

“The best part of watching the Masters was seeing if someone was going to eagle 13 or eagle 15. That’s just completely far-fetched fantasy that it’s going to happen now,” Australian Geoff Ogilvy said.

“I think the birdie chances have gone away. It’s all kind of hard now.”

In cold conditions two years ago that evoked US Open comparisons for difficulty,Zach Johnson won at one-over par 289,the first Masters winner to finish 72 holes over par since 1956.

South African Trevor Immelman led by two before firing a three-over par 75 in last year’s windy final round and won by three strokes after the highest final round of any Masters champion.

Rather than attempt amazing birdies on Sunday’s back nine,contenders simply try to avoid mistakes and hang on – groan avoidance rather than cheer inspiration.

“We have had bad weather the last two years and that has aided the high scoring,” Woods said.

“But hopefully we can get some good weather and the ball will be flying again and guys will be a little bit more aggressive on that back nine and create a little more excitement on Sunday.”

There is hope. Augusta National chairman Billy Payne spoke of moves to provide more options to course officials when talking about changes for this year,the biggest of which was trimming 10 yards off the first hole.

“As we’ve done nearly every year since the inception of the Masters,we evaluate the golf course and make refinements we think are necessary,” Payne said.

“This year,only minor changes were implemented and all were made in order to provide greater flexibility in the event of adverse weather conditions.” That could allow Augusta National some subtle options to wake up the echoes and once more spark roars,as well as some fist-pumping excitement from Woods in his first major tournament following his eight-month layoff.

“It just comes out of you. Whatever happens,happens,” Woods said of his post-putt celebrations. “You’re so caught up in the moment and you’re so caught up in the putt and the shot at hand. When you’re able to pull it off,the satisfaction it gives you… I’ve gone nuts a few times,there’s no doubt about that.”

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington,seeking his third major win in a row,said the current incarnation of Augusta National was tough,but fair.

“Since they’ve lengthened the golf course,it made a bigger,solider challenge and they use fairer pin positions.

To me the golf course got stronger but fairer since then,” Harrington said. “I think they’ve improved the course no end.”